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September 29, 2017

‘Emergency’ sterilisation drive launched to combat monkey menace

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>To curb the increasing menace and disarray caused to the Capital by exploding population of rhesus macaques, the Delhi High Court has collaborated with the NGO, Wildlife SOS, on the first ever monkey sterilisation and vaccination project. To avoid the overlapping of the sterlisation process monkeys will be tagged with a unique permanent ID using safe tattoos with a troop code and individual code.The project aims at tackling conflict between humans and rhesus macaques and vaccinating monkeys against tetanus and rabies. The co-founder of the organisation Wildlife SOS, Kartik Satyanarayn said, “relocating the monkeys is not a solution but merely shifting the problem since monkeys have homing instincts and will return to public areas looking for food as people continue to feed them for religious sentiments.”According to Wasim Akram, Manager Wildlife SOS Special Projects, “The first step is to conduct a census of the rhesus macaque population in Delhi and establishing a dedicated monkey hotline to understand and document which areas have major conflict. We will then carry out a phase wise operation in the demarcated conflict areas.”Wildlife SOS had successfully carried out a series of sterilisation drives across Agra partnered with the Agra Development Authority and the Agra District Administration. Following the proving success of the module, the Delhi High Court has directed authorities to prepare an action plan in support of this project.The High Court has scheduled the next date of hearing on this matter for November 7, 2017